Canada has significantly changed its citizenship-by-descent rules. Bill C-3 came into force on December 15, 2025, expanding citizenship to many people born outside Canada who were previously excluded by the first-generation limit.
IRCC subsequently updated its proof-of-citizenship forms and instructions in August 2026. These updates explain how applicants should document their ancestry and, where required, prove a Canadian parent’s physical presence in Canada.
What Changed on December 15, 2025?
Before Bill C-3, Canadian citizens born or adopted outside Canada generally could not pass citizenship to another generation born abroad. This was known as the first-generation limit.
Bill C-3 modified that limit in two important ways.
People Born Before December 15, 2025
A person born outside Canada before December 15, 2025, may now automatically be a Canadian citizen if their parent was Canadian, including where:
- The Canadian parent was also born outside Canada;
- The person was previously excluded by the first-generation limit;
- The parent became Canadian because of the new amendments; or
- The family was affected by certain historical “Lost Canadian” provisions.
Citizenship is not guaranteed merely because someone has a Canadian grandparent or great-grandparent. The legal status and parent-child relationship must be established through every relevant generation.
People who became citizens automatically under Bill C-3 generally apply for a citizenship certificate to confirm their status. They are not applying for a grant of citizenship. Review IRCC’s explanation of the 2025 changes.
People Born On or After December 15, 2025
Different rules apply to future generations.
A person born abroad on or after December 15, 2025, to a Canadian parent who was also born or adopted abroad must generally demonstrate that the Canadian parent accumulated at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada before the person’s birth.
The 1,095 days are cumulative and do not need to be consecutive.
For an adopted child, the Canadian parent must generally have accumulated the required physical presence before the adoption. Adopted persons are not automatically citizens and normally use the separate direct-grant process for international adoptions.
Qualifying Crown-servant situations may be exempt from the physical-presence requirement.
What Did IRCC Update in August 2026?
The August changes concern forms, supporting evidence and application procedures. They did not create another citizenship law.
Updated Citizenship Certificate Application: CIT 0001
IRCC updated the Application for a Citizenship Certificate (CIT 0001) on August 25, 2026.
The August 2026 form now asks for information addressing the new rules, including:
- Whether the applicant was born on or after December 15, 2025;
- How the Canadian parent obtained citizenship;
- Information about Canadian parents, grandparents and, where applicable, great-grandparents;
- Whether a parent or grandparent was a qualifying Crown servant; and
- Whether the Canadian parent accumulated 1,095 days in Canada before the applicant’s birth.
Applicants relying on a great-grandparent must provide additional family information on a separate sheet. Download the current CIT 0001 form.
Updated Physical-Presence Form: CIT 0555
IRCC also updated CIT 0555: How to Calculate Physical Presence in Canada for a Canadian Parent on August 25, 2026.
This form is generally required when someone was born abroad on or after December 15, 2025, and their Canadian parent was also born or adopted outside Canada.
The form requires applicants to list:
- The Canadian parent’s entries into and exits from Canada;
- Dates and locations of time spent in Canada;
- The reason for each period of physical presence;
- The total number of eligible days; and
- Certain periods during which the parent was serving a sentence in Canada.
IRCC may verify the information and request additional evidence. Download CIT 0555.
Updated Document Checklist: CIT 0014
IRCC’s August 2026 Document Checklist (CIT 0014) emphasizes that applicants must provide authentic, reliable and verifiable records for every relevant generation.
Evidence may include:
- Birth certificates establishing each parent-child relationship;
- Canadian citizenship or naturalization certificates;
- Registration of Birth Abroad records;
- Historical British subject or immigration records; and
- Government-issued records from the original authority.
An application cannot be supported solely by third-party family-history records. If an official record is unavailable, the applicant should explain why and provide evidence showing attempts to obtain it.
For the 1,095-day requirement, acceptable evidence may include employment or educational records, passports, entry-and-exit records, leases, insurance documents, government records and properly completed affidavits. Review the current CIT 0014 checklist.
What If You Applied Under the Interim Measures?
Applicants who submitted a citizenship certificate application under IRCC’s previous interim measures do not need to apply again. IRCC states that pending applications will be assessed under the amended law.
Citizenship Certificate vs. Citizenship Grant
A citizenship certificate confirms citizenship that already exists. It does not grant citizenship.
People born abroad who acquired citizenship through a Canadian parent usually apply for proof of citizenship. People adopted abroad generally follow the separate citizenship-grant process for adopted persons.
Using the wrong application can result in delays or a returned application.
Before Travelling to Canada
Someone who may have become Canadian under Bill C-3 should apply for a citizenship certificate and then obtain a Canadian passport before travelling. This is particularly important for dual Canadian citizens travelling to Canada by air.
Final Takeaway
Bill C-3 may have restored or provided citizenship to people who were previously excluded because they were born outside Canada in the second or later generation.
However, Canadian ancestry alone does not establish citizenship. Applicants must document citizenship and parentage through every relevant generation and use the current August 2026 IRCC forms.
Visaserve Immigration Law P.C. assists with citizenship-by-descent assessments, proof-of-citizenship applications, historical family-lineage cases and physical-presence documentation.
Contact us at info@visaserve.ca, call 905-203-2266, or schedule a consultation with an experienced Canadian immigration lawyer.
This article is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Citizenship eligibility depends on the facts and legislation applicable to each case.
